Although we do not know the exact date of when this feature could be introduced, it is said that it could be switched on by default. It is rumoured that it will be rolled out in just a few weeks however Google are said to be finalising a few things and may decide to not go ahead with the plan.

So what exactly is this ad blocker that Google speak of?

The ad blocking feature is exactly as it is described - a function to block ads. It would filter out certain and specific ad types that provide a bad experience for users whilst using the internet. However, what could be seen as an unacceptable ad to some could be seen as an acceptable ad to others.

Therefore the definition of an unacceptable ad is defined by the 'Coalition for Better Ads' - an industry group that released a list of what they feel is an undesirable ad.

It is also said that Google are considering blocking all advertising that appears on sites with offending ads rather than blocking the individual offending ads themselves. This is to say that if one site does not ensure all of its ads meet the required standards then they could see all advertising blocked in chrome.

• Preventing videos from autoplaying, which will kill pre-roll ads on autoplay videos. Video ads are generally much more highly regarded by advertisers, as they drive higher engagement than banner ads on almost every site.

• Disabling ad tracking, which generally uses cookies stored on people’s local computers to track them across different websites.

What this could mean for you:

If your ads are deemed to be unacceptable according to 'The Coalition for Better Ads', you could see your ads being permanently blocked. Also bear in mind that if you're buying inventory through ad display networks, all it takes is for one company to publish an unacceptable ad and all other ads be blocked, even those from completely separate businesses.

The guidelines are strict yet straightforward.

To prepare for these changes it's worth reviewing your existing ads to make sure they fall in line with the guidelines.

Unfortunately there isn't a lot of information on whether Google will also be making changes to ad tracking as the announcements to date have been light on detail. However this is definitely something to consider and stay on top of.

If you're interested in finding out more about how to integrate display and social advertising in to your ABM programmes, feel free to drop us a line.